This application is related to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-385562 filed on Dec. 19, 2000, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pipe connection structure of a receiver-integrated condenser in a refrigerant cycle system for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In a receiver-integrated condenser 110 arranged integrally with a radiator 161 in a vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, a condensing portion 125 is disposed at an upper side in a core portion 113, and refrigerant after passing through the condensing portion 125 is introduced into a receiving unit 120 to be separated into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant. Further, liquid refrigerant within the receiving unit 120 flows through a super-cooling portion 126 disposed at a lower side in the core portion 110 to be super-cooled. In addition, a connector portion 140 used as a refrigerant outlet of the core portion 113 is positioned at one end side of the condenser 110 in a width direction, and is arranged at a middle position in the vehicle in a vehicle right-left direction. On the other hand, the receiving unit 120 is positioned at an end side of the condenser 110 opposite to the connector portion 140. In addition, for improving assembling performance of the condenser 110 in the vehicle and for reducing a mounting space of the condenser 110, a connector 142 for being connected to the connector portion 140 is connected to an upstream end of a refrigerant pipe 141 disposed at a front lower side of the condenser 110, and a downstream end of the refrigerant pipe 141 is positioned at the side of the receiving unit 120 to be connected to an outlet connector 133 used as a connection portion of a high-pressure liquid-refrigerant pipe. However, in this case, as shown in FIG. 7B, the connector portion 140 and the connector 142 greatly protrude to a vehicle front side, and the mounting performance of the condenser 110 on the vehicle may be deteriorated.
On the other hand, in a receiver-integrated condenser described in JP-A-8-183325, a refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion and a connection portion connecting with a high-pressure liquid-pipe is disposed at the same side as a receiving unit in the width direction of the condenser. However, in this case, the connection portion is disposed to protrude to a side of the receiving unit, and the mounting performance of the condenser on the vehicle is deteriorated. In addition, because the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion is provided at a direct lower side of the receiving unit, a cap member of a bottom portion of the receiving unit cannot be detachable.
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to improve mounting performance of a receiver-integrated condenser on a vehicle, in which a receiving unit is positioned at one end side of the condenser in a width direction, and a connection portion for connecting a refrigerant outlet pipe is disposed at the same side as an arrangement position of the receiving unit.
According to the present invention, a receiver-integrated condenser for a refrigerant cycle system of a vehicle includes a condensing portion for cooling and condensing refrigerant discharged from a compressor of the refrigerant cycle system, a receiving unit which is disposed to separate refrigerant from the condensing portion into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and to store liquid refrigerant therein, a super-cooling portion for super-cooling liquid refrigerant from the receiving unit, and a connector connected to a refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion. In the receiver-integrated condenser, the super-cooling portion is disposed at a lower side of the condensing portion in a core portion, and the receiving unit is disposed at one end side of the core portion in a width direction of the core portion to extend in a vertical direction perpendicular to the width direction. The super-cooling portion is disposed to define a refrigerant passage, in such a manner that refrigerant is U-turned in the refrigerant passage at the other end side of the core portion in the width direction, and the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion is positioned at the one end side in the width direction. In the receiver-integrated condenser, the connector is disposed at a lower side of the refrigerant outlet portion, and the connector has a refrigerant outlet port opened toward downwardly and a bottom surface used as a connection surface connecting with a pipe connector of the refrigerant pipe. Accordingly, the pipe connector of the refrigerant pipe can be disposed at a direct lower side of the connector of the refrigerant outlet portion, and the connection between the connector of the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion and the pipe connector can be readily performed. Thus, the connection portion between the connector of the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion and the pipe connector can be arranged in a lower mounting area of the receiver-integrated condenser, and the mounting performance of the receiver-integrated condenser on the vehicle can be improved. As a result, the connector and the pipe connector are not positioned directly under the receiving unit, and a cap member disposed at a bottom portion of the receiving unit can be detachably disposed.
Alternatively, the connector is connected to the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion to be shifted to a side of the receiving unit when being viewed from an upper side of the receiving unit. In this case, the connector has a refrigerant outlet port opened toward upwardly, and a top surface used as a connection surface connecting with a pipe connector of the refrigerant pipe. Accordingly, connection operation of the connector of the refrigerant outlet portion of the super-cooling portion and the pipe connector can be readily performed. Even in this case, the cap member of the receiving unit can be detachably disposed.